Parenting styles have evolved significantly over time. Historically, children were viewed as the property of their parents and expected to obey without question. As views changed, the authoritarian style gave way to authoritative and permissive approaches that consider children's input and independence. Today, children are seen as individuals deserving nurturing environments to grow and learn at their own pace through play and exploration.

1. Prepared by Alison Topper

2.  Is complicated!
 Parent needs to know when to back off
and let child do for himself…
 Needs to avoid pushing children to do
things they aren‟t ready for
 Need to let child fail as they learn
 And skills change…

3.  Authoritarian:
• Children should obey their parents
 Without question
• Parent tells the child what to do, and the child‟s
duty is to do it
• When rules are broken, the authoritarian parent
acts quickly and firmly

4.  Authoritative or Democratic:
• Parents are still in charge
 Children have more input into rules and limits
• Children are given more independence and choice
within the less structured rules.

5.  Permissive:
• Children are free to set their own rules.
• Parents grant a wide range of freedom

6.  The styles overlap!
 A parent is usually not always in one style
all the time.

7. 1. Parent must meet the basic needs of a
child
• Provide food, clothing and shelter
• Monitor safety and health
• Teach language skills
• Provide opportunity for learning through school
• Teach the children to get along in social groups
• Provide opportunity for the child to feel love and
give love

8. 2. Provide Nurturing:
• Give children opportunities for encouragement
and enrichment (the extras!)
 Not necessarily $$
• Parent needs to be a teacher
• Allow children to learn and explore
• Lack of nurturing leads to deprivation
 Deprivation is NOT lack of $
 Deprivation IS lack of an enriching environment

9. 3. Guiding Children to Learn Appropriate
Behavior
• Consistent environment
• Effective techniques to encourage appropriate
behavior
• Setting limits
• Effective ways of dealing with misbehavior

10.  Children used to be viewed as “miniature
adults”
 Totally under the control of their parents
 Examples:

11.  Male head of household had absolute
power over the children
 He could kill them
 He could sell them into slavery
 Unwanted children were simply left outside
to die

12.  Children wore a bag of charms
 Girls married at 13
 Boys at 14

13.  As in Ancient Rome,and other ancient
civilizations, unwanted infants were left
outside to die
 Children were often nursed by slaves
 Girls lived at home until their marriage
 Boys did receive education
 Children were often given toys at sacred
festivals, such as balls, miniature
chariots, or dolls made from clay and rags.

15.  Unwanted infants, especially girls, were
left to die of exposure
 Seldom sold into slavery
 Mothers sang lullabies to their
children, fearing that the noise of their
crying would irritate the gods.
 Children played with miniature weapons
and household implements as they role-
played adult activities.

17.  Prodigal Son:
• Children, especially sons, who did not adhere to
rules of the family and society were outcast from
their family

18.  Unwanted or disabled infants were left to
die of exposure, but this was not as
acceptable as in other societies.
 Baptism with water originated, originally
not as a Christian ritual
 Girls learned about housekeeping
 Boys learned about farming and war
 Children were sent to live with kin to
strengthen relationships

20.  Children were highly valued
 Raised mostly by mothers
 Females ran the household
 Households were typically large and filled
with many relatives
 Children were taught to read and write
 Males and females raised together until
abut 7 or 8, then separated

22.  Childhood was seen as separate from
adulthood
 Children remained with their parents, but
were strictly controlled, to the point of
abuse
 One thirteenth century article of law begins
with: „If one beats a child until it
bleeds, then it will remember...„
 These methods common among all
classes

24.  Puritans believed children were naturally
evil
 Children were “swaddled” wrapped tightly
in blankets as infants, restricting
movement
• An effort to manage the child
 Parent‟s responsibility to train, manage the
child
 Some saw the child as a “blank slate”
totally under parental control

25.  Life was very hard….no conveniences
 All food, clothing, etc. had to be grown or
made
 Children did the work of adults
 Boys married at 16, girls also
 In the North, more education
 Not a priority in the South

27.  Childhood ended around age 7
 Children worked in factories, mines, farms
 As the Industrial Revolution
continued, children left the home to work in
factories owned by strangers
 Children of slaves were considered property
and could be sold away from their parents.
Slave owners generally provided only as
much education as the slave needed for their
job.

28.  Indian children were taken from their tribes
and families to attend schools to
“Americanize” them
 In 1700‟s and up to late 1800s, parents
schooled their own children at home.
 Boys received more schooling than girls.
 Tutors, clergy, one room school houses
were some methods

30.  We have gradually become more “child
centered”
 Children are seen as unique individuals.
 Parent‟s job is to nurture and provide
opportunity for development.
 Fads in Child Rearing are common, Dr.
Spock, Dr. Brazleton, and many others
have written on child rearing.

31.  http://www.neatorama.com/neatobambino/
2010/07/26/parenting-through-history-a-
look-at-childrearing-in-five-historic-
societies/
 http://www.bbmms.org/Eng/2009/10/child-
labour-in-the-19th-century/